THE OFFICIAL ASK ALBERT THIEL THREAD

[atoll]

An out today at my 89 year old mothers and will be taking her to see my disabled brother later. Then its out again later for a few beers with my friend from my school days. I will reply when I can perhaps it will have to wait till tomorrow.

[albertthiel]

An out today at my 89 year old mothers and will be taking her to see my disabled brother later. Then its out again later for a few beers with my friend from my school days. I will reply when I can perhaps it will have to wait till tomorrow.

 

Have an enjoyable day .... no rush ....

 

Albert

[atoll]

Just on my way out again so quick post regarding questions about LED's he can supply in the unit I posted up a few days ago which maybe of interest.

"We can provide the LEDs as follows:

warm white: 2800k-3800k
white: 4000k-6500k
cold white: 7000k-14000k

UV 380nm
Light blue 410-420nm
Blue 430nm-475nm
Green/yellow 525nm- 590nm
Orange 605nm-620nm
Red 630nm-660nm
Infrared 730nm-850nm

We have these LEDs in stock. And we can make the special unit as customers' choices.
I will calculate the cost for you when I get your special request.
Generally, the price will not be much higher than this item.
(The price of UV and Infrared are higher than others ).

Regards,

Dick".

[albertthiel]

Just on my way out again so quick post regarding questions about LED's he can supply in the unit I posted up a few days ago which maybe of interest.

 

 

"We can provide the LEDs as follows:

 

warm white: 2800k-3800k

white: 4000k-6500k

cold white: 7000k-14000k

UV 380nm

Light blue 410-420nm

Blue 430nm-475nm

Green/yellow 525nm- 590nm

Orange 605nm-620nm

Red 630nm-660nm

Infrared 730nm-850nm

 

We have these LEDs in stock. And we can make the special unit as customers' choices.

I will calculate the cost for you when I get your special request.

Generally, the price will not be much higher than this item.

(The price of UV and Infrared are higher than others ).

 

Regards,

 

Dick".

 

@JedimasterBen ... any input ?

 

Albert

[atoll]

Hi Jed, I make your suggestion 10 LED's however there are twenty LED's in the unit in total so that leave a further 10 LED's to specify. So what would be your suggestion for these other 10 be? Also given below his list of LED's he can provide what you be your suggested mix of 20 LED's

Thanks..

 

warm white: 2800k-3800k

white: 4000k-6500k
cold white: 7000k-14000k

UV 380nm
Light blue 410-420nm
Blue 430nm-475nm
Green/yellow 525nm- 590nm
Orange 605nm-620nm
Red 630nm-660nm
Infrared 730nm-850nm

 

Les.

No, I would ditch the green and red completely, and swap out the whites. Pretty much changing the whole thing lol. I'd probably run with 6x of a neutral white in the 4-5K range, leave the royals the same, add in two chips in the 470-480nm range, and then two violets.

[albertthiel]

Kind of a "Funny" by Oatmeal on Mantis Shrimp .... Cute to watch for sure, and actually does contain some good info too. Nicely done too.

 

 

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/mantis_shrimp

 

Albert

[bucfan]

Albert, I have a 14g that I run with a 3g refugium, no skimmer. I also use Seachem Matrix in a bag inside the fuge. Tanks been up and running 4 months. I have been battling cyan and hairy algae for a few weeks. Been doing 50% weekly water changes to battle this but can't seem to win. Tank has primarily zoas, shrooms and LPS. Only 2 small monti frags. Have not tested Ph/NO recently but last time I did 4 weeks ago they were low and I was still having algae issues. I just got a bunch of red legged hermits to go after the hairy stuff and reduced my LED red intensity for the cyanos.

 

I have a 6-line, yellow coris, sand sifter, naked clown. I feed them once a day with 3 drops of ROE or 1/8 inch cube of frozen. Not sure if I'm too heavily stocked with these 4. Also my sand sifter does a job on my sand ben and pushes everything to once side of the tank. Can't seem to solve that problem other than manually moving the sand.

 

[albertthiel]

Albert, I have a 14g that I run with a 3g refugium, no skimmer. I also use Seachem Matrix in a bag inside the fuge. Tanks been up and running 4 months. I have been battling cyan and hairy algae for a few weeks. Been doing 50% weekly water changes to battle this but can't seem to win. Tank has primarily zoas, shrooms and LPS. Only 2 small monti frags. Have not tested Ph/NO recently but last time I did 4 weeks ago they were low and I was still having algae issues. I just got a bunch of red legged hermits to go after the hairy stuff and reduced my LED red intensity for the cyanos.

 

I have a 6-line, yellow coris, sand sifter, naked clown. I feed them once a day with 3 drops of ROE or 1/8 inch cube of frozen. Not sure if I'm too heavily stocked with these 4. Also my sand sifter does a job on my sand ben and pushes everything to once side of the tank. Can't seem to solve that problem other than manually moving the sand.

 

Well it sounds to me that the water quality may have gotten that much out of hand that some more drastic measures are going to be needed to resolve your issue and that after a treatment to get rid of the Cyanos that you will need more chemical filtration media that just what you now have, e.g. activated carbon and probably a Phosphate remover such as GFO.

 

You do have a heavy load for that tank IMO but with a skimmer and more chemical filtration media you should be able to keep things under control I hope.

 

Now to deal with the Cyanos you will need to treat the tank with ChemiClean and follow the directions exactly so you do not overdose or under dose ...

 

Then I would suggest a good 10 to 15 percent water change a week.

 

Hope that helps ... if not let me know

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

And besides everything that Albert said, that tank is only 16 weeks old. Virtually all new tanks experience that to varying degrees. Don't go to nuts over it as the bacteria are maturing and they have more patience than you do.

[hypostatic]

Here is link to what I wrote in one of the Newsletters on Oxydators :

 

http://www.athiel.net/Oxydator.pdf

 

Albert

 

 

So, basically, this is just adding dissolved oxygen into the water?

 

Edit:

 

What I've read is that it adds "activated oxygen" into the water. By "activated oxygen" does it mean ozone?

 

Sorry, I believe that it works in clearing the water, but I get very suspicious of something when it describes a chemical formula for how it works:

 

2(H₂O₂) -> 2(H₂O) + O₂

 

But what it is actually doing is something different:

 

3(H₂O₂) -> 3(H₂O) + O₃

 

I imagine this is why there is a catalyst -- for the ozone production.

 

But what I'd imagine the reaction of interest to be would be the following:

 

O₃ + H₂O -> H₂O + O₂ + O^-

 

I imagine this is where all the action is going on. Ozone is very reactive and unstable, as is the oxygen free radical that is produced when ozone reacts with water. Either way, both are extremely strong oxidizing agents as mentioned.

 

But what I am worried about is just this -- adding an oxidizing agent to a reef tank. At the very least, shouldn't this affect the pH of the tank? Also, I've read that dosing hydrogen peroxide can cause harm to some invertebrates like shrimp, wouldn't this do the same?

[atoll]

Not quite but activated oxygen similar to ozone in some ways.

[albertthiel]

So, basically, this is just adding dissolved oxygen into the water?

 

Purifies the water amongst other benefits. I would not run a tank without one ...

 

The O released in the water is referred to as activated oxygen and cleans up the water in a way sort of similar to what Les is saying ...

 

Very popular in Europe and have been around for decades ... but for some reason currently and for quite some time now they are not available from a US dealer or distributor ... not sure why but I know that at one point there was some kind of Patent issue but based on when the US one was issued, and that was after the German one was, the US must have expired by now.

 

My book explains it in more detail actually ..

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

AquaNerd's Predictions for the Hobby Industry for 2014

 

 

http://blog.aquanerd.com/2014/01/aquarium-industry-predictions-for-2014.html

 

 

Albert

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Will Eco-Tech be releasing an Aquarium/Coral viewer this year ?

 

 

 

 

Some patents found seems to indicate that something is in the works

 

 

http://blog.aquanerd.com/2013/11/ecotech-marine-habitat-viewing-device.html

 

 

Albert

[atoll]

 

Question. How long do I have to use Oxydators in marine and reef tanks do I have to use Oxydators to prove their worth and effectiveness? I have kept all manner of corals and shrimps as well as many species of fish using Oxydators without encounting anything other than positive results. They have been proven for many years in the UK and Europe and the results speaj for themselves. I dont need chemical formulas just my eyes and years off experience along with that of others.

[hypostatic]

Not quite but activated oxygen similar to ozone in some ways.

 

 

Purifies the water amongst other benefits. I would not run a tank without one ...

 

The O released in the water is referred to as activated oxygen and cleans up the water in a way sort of similar to what Les is saying ...

 

Very popular in Europe and have been around for decades ... but for some reason currently and for quite some time now they are not available from a US dealer or distributor ... not sure why but I know that at one point there was some kind of Patent issue but based on when the US one was issued, and that was after the German one was, the US must have expired by now.

 

My book explains it in more detail actually ..

 

Albert

 

 

Hey sorry, I was busy editing my post with some potential chemistry, and I didn't see these replies. In short I asked two questions: shouldn't this change the pH of the water, and wouldn't it harm inverts such as shrimp like hydrogen peroxide dosing would?

[atoll]

I have never noticed any significant change in PH while using oxydators. See my post above re shrimps etc.

[hypostatic]

Also, where is this available for purchase in the US?

[albertthiel]

Also, where is this available for purchase in the US?

 

As I stated in a previous post right now it is not and those who want one tend to order it from the UK ...

 

I could not even find one on eBay .... the only thing that was listed was the peroxide and that was stated as coming from the UK as well and I was looking at the US eBay not the UK one ..

[atoll]

Makes no sense as to why you can't buy Oxydators in the US. Many have been sent from the UK to the US. I introduced them to a number of sea horses keepers here and they have spread amingst them. Breeders of seahorses report higher survival rates of fry using Oxydators. Also I know discus keepers have used them for many years. BTW Oxydators do not reduce CO2 in the aquarium.

[albertthiel]

Makes no sense as to why you can't buy Oxydators in the US. Many have been sent from the UK to the US. I introduced them to a number of sea horses keepers here and they have spread amingst them. Breeders of seahorses report higher survival rates of fry using Oxydators. Also I know discus keepers have used them for many years. BTW Oxydators do not reduce CO2 in the aquarium.

 

I do not understand why either Les ... but they have not been available for over a year now if not morse, through the initial distributor and when I get asked I refer them to seahorsebreeker.co.uk (I think that is the correct URL) and they offer excellent service. They can send the Unit (all models), but knot the Peroxide but that can be purchased on eBay in stronger than the 3% solutions which any Pharmacy sells.

 

BTW the same goes for Canada where there is no distributor either.

 

I have tried to get the importation rights from Söchting for the US, but they keep referring me to that "Contact" that is listed for the US on their German web site, and based on conversations I had with Evan (and I have actually known him for a long time as he has been involved in the hobby for decades), he is not interested in passing the rights that he apparently has, on to anyone else.

 

He is really looking for someone to "finance" "HIS" venture, and he would then import them, and resell them to others, basically any Company that wants to stock a supply of them so, in essence, he wants a "Partner/Investor", and I am not interested in hooking up with another Company, and financing it so they can then import the Units.

 

If I am going to put money into a venture to get them into the US, it would have to be "my own", and not someone else's, as I am sure you can understand.

 

So for now ... the UK is the only way to get them for Hobbyists in the US and Canada ...

 

Interestingly enough they are available in France and other European Countries, but at prices higher than the UK ones, which based on what I have been able to check, are the least expensive ones I have found so far.

 

And yes, Discus and Seahorse Breeders report exactly what you mention, but so do Breeders of Clownfish and other marine Fish, based on what I have been able to figure out, and I can only say and state again that if the Breeders are all for the Oxydators and are also very positive about them, then Hobbyists certainly should too IMO ...

 

All we can do, and we have both done so, is make people aware of their benefits, and where they can get them, and what models are available based on tank size, and you have already done so a few times, + the German Web site lists them too.

 

They are even listed in my Nano-Reef Aquariums book in 4 different areas, but mainly in pages 76, 77 and 78.

 

The German site is:

 

http://www.oxydator.de/english/soechting_oxydators.html and then those who are interested can navigate to the English version and the Data and image on the various models

 

And for the UK :

 

http://seahorsebreeder.co.uk/store/ and at the bottom of the product listing are the various models

 

Hope this helps those who are interested, and gives them a little background on what has been going on here in the US.

 

Albert

[bucfan]

Well it sounds to me that the water quality may have gotten that much out of hand that some more drastic measures are going to be needed to resolve your issue and that after a treatment to get rid of the Cyanos that you will need more chemical filtration media that just what you now have, e.g. activated carbon and probably a Phosphate remover such as GFO.

 

You do have a heavy load for that tank IMO but with a skimmer and more chemical filtration media you should be able to keep things under control I hope.

 

Now to deal with the Cyanos you will need to treat the tank with ChemiClean and follow the directions exactly so you do not overdose or under dose ...

Got a used Eshopps Nano Skimmer and an Innovative Marine Mini Reactor. Using Seagel in the reactor. Did a 30% water change. Will these measure be sufficient or do I still need to do ChemiClean? Just not comfortable with chemical agents.

[albertthiel]

Got a used Eshopps Nano Skimmer and an Innovative Marine Mini Reactor. Using Seagel in the reactor. Did a 30% water change. Will these measure be sufficient or do I still need to do ChemiClean? Just not comfortable with chemical agents.

 

I would say that now you have to wait and see whether that solves your problem but if your outbreak of Cyanos is severe it may not but hold off for a little while and see what happens in the aquarium, and then decide whether you need to get rid of them chemically or not,

 

Albert

[rick12]

 

I do not understand why either Les ... but they have not been available for over a year now if not morse, through the initial distributor and when I get asked I refer them to seahorsebreeker.co.uk (I think that is the correct URL) and they offer excellent service. They can send the Unit (all models), but knot the Peroxide but that can be purchased on eBay in stronger than the 3% solutions which any Pharmacy sells.

 

BTW the same goes for Canada where there is no distributor either.

 

I have tried to get the importation rights from Söchting for the US, but they keep referring me to that "Contact" that is listed for the US on their German web site, and based on conversations I had with Evan (and I have actually known him for a long time as he has been involved in the hobby for decades), he is not interested in passing the rights that he apparently has, on to anyone else.

 

He is really looking for someone to "finance" "HIS" venture, and he would then import them, and resell them to others, basically any Company that wants to stock a supply of them so, in essence, he wants a "Partner/Investor", and I am not interested in hooking up with another Company, and financing it so they can then import the Units.

 

If I am going to put money into a venture to get them into the US, it would have to be "my own", and not someone else's, as I am sure you can understand.

 

So for now ... the UK is the only way to get them for Hobbyists in the US and Canada ...

 

Interestingly enough they are available in France and other European Countries, but at prices higher than the UK ones, which based on what I have been able to check, are the least expensive ones I have found so far.

 

And yes, Discus and Seahorse Breeders report exactly what you mention, but so do Breeders of Clownfish and other marine Fish, based on what I have been able to figure out, and I can only say and state again that if the Breeders are all for the Oxydators and are also very positive about them, then Hobbyists certainly should too IMO ...

 

All we can do, and we have both done so, is make people aware of their benefits, and where they can get them, and what models are available based on tank size, and you have already done so a few times, + the German Web site lists them too.

 

They are even listed in my Nano-Reef Aquariums book in 4 different areas, but mainly in pages 76, 77 and 78.

 

The German site is:

 

http://www.oxydator.de/english/soechting_oxydators.html and then those who are interested can navigate to the English version and the Data and image on the various models

 

And for the UK :

 

http://seahorsebreeder.co.uk/store/ and at the bottom of the product listing are the various models

 

Hope this helps those who are interested, and gives them a little background on what has been going on here in the US.

 

Albert

I purchased from the UK. Fast service and good customer service. Group buy is the best way to save on shipping

[albertthiel]

I purchased from the UK. Fast service and good customer service. Group buy is the best way to save on shipping

 

Yes indeed as shipping for just one unit can get pretty expensive I agree

 

Albert

[AWillroth]

A while ago we talked about the orange crush leptastrea. Heres an update in much higher quality. Its starting to encrust nicely.